Talk:Asha Rahiro/@comment-25765531-20151019041141/@comment-26831644-20151024134931
I would say that Asha lost pretty much before setting off on this path. Her whole family is dead, her village is destroyed, "shortly" afterwards the whole planet, the one person she cares about and that supports her will have something else to protect and support soon after they are on Willarv, indicating a further loss in the future (though it may have never happened the way she expected it), a God shows her the path to her revenge which comes at a very high cost (you can't argue with this one, sacrificing your existence for something is more far reaching than risking your life). After stepping on the bloodsoaked path, she did everything she could to stay on it and to not get distracted by relationships of any sort. Even her friendship with Brilith was not able to deter Asha, but Leez who is oh so similiar to Rao in every way (Teo even said that grown-up Leez is a female Rao) was able to bring her a bit of normality, which Asha tried to push away with all force she could muster, to the point where she wanted to put Leez under Ran's guardianship and even trying to kill her after she took her back. And now Asha has discarded everything once more in order to achieve her vengeance, except possibly Leez, again. Kubera shows us that the world is far from the black and white contrasts that are propagated in so many media and Asha is the character that makes us the most concious about it. We condemn her actions, but know or are at least aware of the fact that these actions are the only way for her to achieve what she wants. You are not even that different from Asha when you play a RPG and level your character up in order to beat the game. The only difference is that your personal goal helps at least the race you have chosen while killing people that fight for their own conviction, in many cases it would be an as just cause as if you were to help them. Let's take Syrim as an example, because I have started to replay it a bit more extensively recently. In Markath someone tells you that Ulfrik Stormcloak is a hero because he helped in recapturing the city from the Forsworn, the natives of the region. But he is treated as a criminal because he rebels against the taboo of the Talos worship which he killed the High King for. So what is he? A criminal or a hero? A more Asha like example: There are many players that join the Stormcloaks to get revenge on the Imperials that wanted to execute the player in the beginning and kill heaps of people because of it. Are they right? Then every vengeance story is right in its ways too. Are they wrong? Then every vengeance motivated story is wrong, including Asha. This is also the reason I did not join any side in my first playthrough, but knowing that I am missing some parts of the game I am now considering to join one. Which is even worse. Everyone has the potential to become a villain, victims are even more likely while persuing their just cause. And it is just, even if it is only for them. These characters are the ones that cause the most controversy while outright villains that are evil with no trauma as a motivation are the easiest to condemn and don't cause much discussion. But Kubera lacks these obvious villains. Every "evil" character has a backstory that shows that he or she is also a victim, so we look for someone who seems to be the most evil character. And that is Asha for many, though she has lost more than many others.